Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie

This smoothie recipe is so yummy!  I made it today and totally wanted another one later in the day.  I restrained myself though. This recipe requires a little preparation ahead of time, but it's worth it. What's really awesome is that this is a pretty healthy treat! I would recommend soaking the oats in almond milk the night before, but you can soak them for a minimum of an hour if you don't have the time.  There are many kind of oats.  Steel cut oats would be most popular.  I've found barley oats and quinoa flakes at stores like Whole Foods Market.  These work well too. In the recipe it also requires the banana to be frozen.  If you break it into about 5 pieces and freeze it, you can do this an hour ahead of time also.  Ice can be added too if the banana isn't frozen.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie
Makes 1 Large Smoothie

1 C Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/3 C Oats
1 Banana, Frozen & Chunked
1/2 C Pure Organic Canned Pumpkin
1 T Molasses
1/4 C Dried Cranberries
1/2 t Ground Cinnamon
1/2 t Ground Ginger
1/4 t Ground Nutmeg
Dash of Vanilla

Soak the oats in the almond milk for a few hours or overnight.

In a blender or with a handheld stick blender (that's my favorite), mix all of the ingredients together and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

The Ouija Board : Communication with the Dead!

Have you ever used a Ouija board? Do you believe in the occult?

Many people have tried it out when they were kids. In my case, it was at slumber parties. I remember thinking that it might be real, but is it really?  Ouija boards were created in the mid 1800's when spiritualism and channeling the dead were a trend.  This parlor game later gained its highest popularity between 1920-1960.  "Ouija" was a combination of the word "yes" in French and German. The board is typically wooden or wood looking and it contains letters, numbers, "yes", "no" and "good bye".  The players put their fingers on a planchette which is a movable indicator.  In seance fashion, you ask the Ouija board a question and the spirit spells out a message.  In my case, the question usually involved a boy, but you can ask it a more serious question. 

So does the planchette really glide over the board under the direction of the dead?  Could it really be supernatural forces trying to communicate to us?  Or is it just the power of suggestion or nervous energy? We may never know.....

Partake in a little spooky fun and try out this virtual Ouija Board
http://www.museumoftalkingboards.com/WebOuija.html